So I Show Up To Matches Without A Vest

[robdog]

I just wear a t-shirt to conceal my Glock. Just like everyday for me. I very rarely see anyone else doing this! Do you serious guys think someone like me is a dork? :D To me IDPA is a fun way to apply some "pressure" to my live fire shooting. In a way to mimic real world situations to be prepared for a SD situation. I do enjoy the competition and strive to do my best but I never wear a vest when I leave the house! So do I cave in to the peer pressure or just be comfortable being the misfit? lol

[JCS]

Be a misfit! If I ever shot an idpa match it would be from carry gear. Sadly they don't allow appendix carry.


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[GyroF-16]

Robdog-
I guess it depends on why you're there...
If you're "playing" IDPA to win the game (and that's okay)... A "shoot me first" vest might help your game.
If, on the other hand, you view IDPA as an opportunity to shoot with your daily carry setup, under some stress (time, competitive nature, etc), then continue to roll with a t-shirt.
I don't know if I'm the "serious guy" you addressed the question to, but I've shot IDPA off and on since 1998 (active duty and remote deployments can interfere with regular match attendance), and I've never owned a vest. I shoot as I carry daily, either off duty or at work. I've always viewed it as an opportunity to get better at solving a problem with my daily carry setup, rather than a game.
Yes, I know, it's not truly "tactical," but it's better than a square range, and more frequently available than training most guys can attend, either professionally or privately paid for on the side.
If you're clear as to why you're there in your own mind, it won't matter what anyone else is wearing/doing.

Gyro

[EricP]

I have always shot IDPA from my normal carry gear and attire. The best to comments I received regarding my lack of a vest were, "oh, you're one of those," and, "did you forget your vest?"

[Mitch]

I've considered shooting IDPA, but I'll be damned if I'm going to wear a vest.

[okie john]

I have always shot IDPA from my normal carry gear and attire. The best to comments I received regarding my lack of a vest were, "oh, you're one of those," and, "did you forget your vest?"

The guys at the club where I shoot don't care whether you wear a vest or not.


Okie John

[That Guy]

I shoot wearing my normal clothes. I do own a couple of vests (nothing tactical though), if I wore one to work yesterday then I might wear it to the match today. But mostly I wear something else. Nobody has ever said a word about my cover garment. In fact, over here, the tactical vest guys seem more of a minority. Guys wear hoodies, shirts etc as cover garments.

What you wear as a cover garment really isn't, or at least shouldn't, be a big deal. Just don't show up naked, that would be weird.

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[Luke]

I've always wanted to get a used Girl Scouts vest with all the patches and go destroy some people wearing that!

[ST911]

I've always wanted to get a used Girl Scouts best with all the patches and go destroy some people wearing that!

You can get a Juniors vest up to a 2XL, ~$20.
http://www.girlscoutshop.com/OFFICIAL-GIRL-SCOUT-JUNIOR-VEST

[Wheeler]

I've encountered all sorts of folks shooting IDPA, USPSA, IPSC before there was a USPSA, Steel Challenge, Rimfire Challenge, 3-gun and Sporting Clays. One of the numerous takeaways I've gotten is that there are folks in every sport who are quite vocal in their opinion if how other folks should spend their money and play their sport. Guys and gals who critique clothing, firearms, footwear, range bag, ammo and technique choices.

If you go to a club and shoot a new to you sport and get picked on, don't blame the parent organization, blame the wanker that's actually busting your chops. If you're going to attend a sport with the intention of busting the chops of the long term participants, that makes you the wanker.

[GJM]

I've always wanted to get a used Girl Scouts vest with all the patches and go destroy some people wearing that!

See, that is why they made sure the Tanfoglio isn't legal in IDPA.

You are going to be a real piece of work by the time you make GM. :)

[robdog]

The Girl Scout vest idea is genius! I wish I had the balls to do it! I just want to be clear my original post was a bit "tongue in cheek". Every IDPA match I have attended has been super enjoyable. Everyone I've been exposed to at those matches has been friendly and helpful to me. Even without a vest! :D

[Jim Watson]

I was thinking about a Walmart vest but they are too short to conceal a rig on my long torso.

I like shooting IDPA. The worst part is people who shoot other games telling me I am doing it all wrong.

[orionz06]

It's a game that can have benefits if you let it. Determine the best balance of fun and not getting killed in the streets and tell everyone else who suggests you wear different clothes to fuck off. As the resident vest disresptctor if you wanna wear one then wear it, it's competition equipment that the best are using and for good reason. If you wanna be realz then wear a t-shirt. People might look at ya weird but oh well, make fun of their vest. Just do your thing and have fun.

[HopetonBrown]

Great, you wear a t-shirt and use your carry gear. You are very tactical. In the winter I wear a jacket. In the summer I wear a vest. I'm not gonna win a match based on the 1 second cumulative difference. IDPA is just a game and I treat it as such. The number of draws during an entire match can be done at home in a minute of dry fire. To make dry fire practice at home more tactical, set your alarm for 4 AM and do it in your tighty whities. No photos or video for your P-F training log, please.

[David S.]

Must vary from club to club. I'd guess only 1/2 to maybe 2/3 of the guys wear vests at my club. There were plenty of other shooters without a vest.

[olstyn]

As long as your clothing choices are within the rules, wear what you want to wear, have fun, etc. If I ever try IDPA (not terribly likely, as there's plenty of USPSA around to keep me busy), I won't bother with a vest, but I'm not about to tell other people they're wrong for wearing them. :)

[John Hearne]

I finally convinced an LEO friend of mine to attend an IDPA match with me. He wore his duty gun in a pancake holster under a Polo shirt. The "wise" SO told him that drawing from a closed front garment was super unsafe but they'd let him do it, just for today. They had the honest expectation that he would go buy a vest to play their game. Any guesses on how many more IDPA matches he attended?

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[Glenn E. Meyer]

We have all kinds - not dogmatic. I have a crappy old soft vest I got as a seconds cheap in Academy. I also wear a floppy shirt over a t-shirt quite a bit. When it is ever colder, a fleece vest. It's a real garment. The hard line line competitors wear the stiff logo covered stuff. But that's a few. We have folks wearing shirts over their guns with no problems. When it gets above 90 we mostly ditch cover and screw IDPA. The purists still wear them for practice. I rarely see a vest on the street. I have a nice dress up vest - looks like nice cloth that I've worn once in awhile. No multiple pockets, it's like one you would wear under a suit jacket.

As long as IDPA has silly rules like the mag limits for higher cap guns, how can one take vests seriously? However, the 10+1 rule does you give you some reload practice, I guess.

[ST911]

I finally convinced an LEO friend of mine to attend an IDPA match with me. He wore his duty gun in a pancake holster under a Polo shirt. The "wise" SO told him that drawing from a closed front garment was super unsafe but they'd let him do it, just for today. They had the honest expectation that he would go buy a vest to play their game. Any guesses on how many more IDPA matches he attended?

Did anyone tactfully address that with the SO or the MD?

[1slow]

I finally convinced an LEO friend of mine to attend an IDPA match with me. He wore his duty gun in a pancake holster under a Polo shirt. The "wise" SO told him that drawing from a closed front garment was super unsafe but they'd let him do it, just for today. They had the honest expectation that he would go buy a vest to play their game. Any guesses on how many more IDPA matches he attended?

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SO is a blivet drama mama. SOs like that give the sport a bad name.

[JodyH]

SO's like that need to be policed by the sanctioning organization.
RO/SO's need to keep their opinions to themselves or else hand the timer over to someone else.
It should be emphasizedo during RO/SO certification that when you have the timer you are representing the organization and forfeit your right to express an opinion contrary to the written rules.

[Wheeler]

SO's like that need to be policed by the sanctioning organization.
RO/SO's need to keep their opinions to themselves or else hand the timer over to someone else.
It should be emphasizedo during RO/SO certification that when you have the timer you are representing the organization and forfeit your right to express an opinion contrary to the written rules.

I agree wholeheartedly with your statement. The problem is IDPA, like many other sports is a wholly volunteer run thing at club levels. Match directors have to make do with what they can get and nepotism is a thing.

I had a USPSA guy tell me that I couldn't wear my revolver under a vest at a match because they "didn't shoot those kinds of guns there." It didn't keep me from shooting my rig, especially as I knew both the MD and the AC, nor did it keep me from going back.

[Welder]

My 'vest' is the brightest blaze orange long-sleeved zipper hoodie I could find. With a Beretta 92 under it. The guys in my club love it. The rations of crap have grown as I slowly move up in the ranks, but it's all good-natured. I have a great time at matches, am placing top 10 out of an avg of 40-50 competitors these days, and am now an SO as well.

A person's attitude totally makes or breaks them at these types of events. Wear and/or shoot something outside of the norm and be prepared to take a good-natured ribbing and return same. Some people are way too serious and just need to relax and see the humor.

ETA that I hadn't been to this subforum for awhile and didn't realize this thread was basically dead already. Sorry about the resurrection! :p

[rd62]

TBone550,

I believe you were in my LTT class last weekend. This topic reminds me of the exact question I asked EL on the topic of IDPA competition and shooting in carry gear. I'll try and paraphrase his response. His stance was that competition was good and pushed skill development. When you introduced factors that could be considered a handicap you insert the opportunity to justify a less competitive performance. You give yourself an excuse and I think he had a valid point. I know when I first started shooting IDPA when the timer went off, the heart rate went up along with the stress level as I was competing. As time went on, I plateaued but found I was no longer stressed. No jitters, no high heart rate, sweaty palms, etc. Yeah I shot from carry gear, IWB under a polo or hoodie, etc. and I was slower, but I expected to be. I wasn't improving my performance under stress.

I believe he equated it to saying you could beat a pro race car driver on the street if he didn't have his race car. Like that was the sole key to his performance. Or thinking you were gonna beat Rob Leatham in a match if he had to shoot from carry gear under a hoodie. He's still gonna smoke your ass.

I don't have a racecar and can't afford one, but I'm gonna find a vest and bring my OWB holster to my next IDPA match and leave my excuses at the door. I think there is a place for training from carry gear and that EL would agree, but I'm not sure that's at the match anymore. For me it'll be at the Pannone Covert Carry Class in April.

YMMV but for me, I think carry gear competition became a crutch for me. Unless of course everyone is competing in carry gear and hoodies!

[fixer]

I just wear a t-shirt to conceal my Glock. Just like everyday for me. I very rarely see anyone else doing this! Do you serious guys think someone like me is a dork? :D To me IDPA is a fun way to apply some "pressure" to my live fire shooting. In a way to mimic real world situations to be prepared for a SD situation. I do enjoy the competition and strive to do my best but I never wear a vest when I leave the house! So do I cave in to the peer pressure or just be comfortable being the misfit? lol

Every match is everyday carry including USPSA.

[Talionis]

His stance was that competition was good and pushed skill development. When you introduced factors that could be considered a handicap you insert the opportunity to justify a less competitive performance...

I believe he equated it to saying you could beat a pro race car driver on the street if he didn't have his race car. Like that was the sole key to his performance. Or thinking you were gonna beat Rob Leatham in a match if he had to shoot from carry gear under a hoodie. He's still gonna smoke your ass.


There is a lot of good stuff in this quote. I think competing in carry gear can be extremely valuable from the standpoint of becoming comfortable with the gear and gun you wear on a daily basis, as well as finding and understanding or changing any weaknesses associated with your method of carry or gear choice. As you bring up, it is definitely possible to use the fact that you are competing using carry gear as an excuse for not striving for or achieving excellence.

My personal opinion is unsurprisingly similar to Mr_White's on this. Shoot to dominate regardless of what gear you are using, and crush any excuses before they drag you down to mediocrity. Your own personal standard of domination doesn't necessarily have to be something like "match win against skilled opponents by massive margin" but it should NOT include excuses in the standard.

[DAB]

i shoot local IDPA matches with my carry gun, carry holster, and a double mag holder (for the match only). lately, i've been focusing on accuracy. was down 5 over 4 stages last match, came in 3rd of 13 shooters. i'm shooting my Px4 9mm in CCP (more reload practice). if you want to bring your 'gamer' gear, that's cool, i'll bring my every day gear and see how I do.

[Sherman A. House DDS]

I've shot matches wearing a bright, reflective, international orange mesh traffic vest. It's breezy in the summer, conceals the gun, and it's not floppy so when you wing it out of the way, it moves and is not billowy. I had a Woolrich (or Eotach) vest that I used too, but after costing with Deet and sunscreen habitually, it disintegrated.

I try and keep IDPA fun. Like it was meant to be.


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[Randy Harris]

I have shot for years , including the 2014 IDPA Nationals , with a Glock 34 from under an untucked t shirt. I normally finish first overall in my local monthly matches and I have my ups and downs in the bigger matches. I use pretty much the same gear for match and street , just with the holster moved behind my hip and my mag pouch moved behind my hip to be IDPA legal. Shooting in Master class the closed front garment does not always help me finish as high as possible and to be honest ,I wore a vest (that I won at a match) at the 2015 IDPA World Championship.

It comes down to what you want to accomplish and for that match I wanted as many things going for me as I could get. The open front garment makes your draw and mag changes just tiny bit faster no matter how fast you are from a closed front garment. In a street confrontation that extra .20 on the draw and extra .50 on the mag change is probably not a big deal....but in a 16 stage match that all adds up and that might be 5 places (or more) in Master SSP....

Do what YOU want to do and who gives a damn what anyone else thinks? If you are shooting matches to bolster your marksmanship and gun handling under stress to improve your street skills then roll however you dress in every day life. But if you are wanting to be the most competitive you can be then the vest will make that a little easier .

[DAL357]

I just wear a t-shirt to conceal my Glock. Just like everyday for me. I very rarely see anyone else doing this! Do you serious guys think someone like me is a dork? :D To me IDPA is a fun way to apply some "pressure" to my live fire shooting. In a way to mimic real world situations to be prepared for a SD situation. I do enjoy the competition and strive to do my best but I never wear a vest when I leave the house! So do I cave in to the peer pressure or just be comfortable being the misfit? lol

Who actually wears a vest in everyday life? Sure, I've seen a handful of people do so in the last fifteen years, but they are such an anomoly they stick out massively. As long as your piece is concealed, a t-shirt is fine by me, as it should be with the self-appointed busybodies at matches.

I shoot IDPA matches with boring regularity and the number of people I see with vests is very low. Usually it's a collared shirt over a t-shirt (my preference, as it's often how I carry on my off days), a jacket, or an untucked shirt/t-shirt.

Shooting IDPA has been a great learning experience for me. It showed me my weak areas (basically everything) when I first started, and I have improved a good amount. I still have along ways to go, like learning to balance accuracy against speed, but it's been an educational, enjoyable journey. BTW, I almost always shoot my Model 64 revolver as I do better with it than my Glock 19; I don't know why, perhaps it's a function of my age (just over three years from 60).

[John Hearne]

Who actually wears a vest in everyday life? Sure, I've seen a handful of people do so in the last fifteen years, but they are such an anomoly they stick out massively.

For me, it's seasonal. I don't wear vests when it's warm but as soon as it cools down, I wear fleece vests. Fleece vests don't stand out like the tan photographer style vests. At least that's what I tell my unfashionable self.

[ST911]

For me, it's seasonal. I don't wear vests when it's warm but as soon as it cools down, I wear fleece vests. Fleece vests don't stand out like the tan photographer style vests. At least that's what I tell my unfashionable self.

This. Fleece and softshell vests are quite common up this way through three seasons.

[drmweaver2]

Who actually wears a vest in everyday life? Walmart employees... Lol!

[DMF13]

I just wear a t-shirt to conceal my Glock. Just like everyday for me. I very rarely see anyone else doing this! Do you serious guys think someone like me is a dork? :D To me IDPA is a fun way to apply some "pressure" to my live fire shooting. In a way to mimic real world situations to be prepared for a SD situation. I do enjoy the competition and strive to do my best but I never wear a vest when I leave the house! So do I cave in to the peer pressure or just be comfortable being the misfit? lolThe handful of times I've shot IDPA I've done the same thing. I figure if I'm going to spend the time and money to go shoot, I might as well reinforce skills I might need outside of competition.

I might feel different if the fractions of a seconds needed to clear the shirt for the draw and reloads were a real factor in where I place in a match, but I've got a long way to go with my skills before gaming the gear is needed to move up the standings.

[Nephrology]

When I used to shoot IDPA I would use my carry gear more or less, because it seemed like a good venue to test it out. Nowadays when I shoot matches it's for the shooting - hence why I prefer USPSA. None of the stages I've encountered in either IDPA or USPSA seemed like terrible realistic facsimiles of actual self defense scenarios anyway (Ecoterrorists confront you in the drive way of your home...) and frankly if I am gonna drive all the way to the match, spend $20 on the match fee, and do ~45m of setup and taping for ~5m of actual shooting, I want those to be a fun 5 minutes. Thats my priority at matches and I don't feel that bad about it either...

[DAL357]

For me, it's seasonal. I don't wear vests when it's warm but as soon as it cools down, I wear fleece vests. Fleece vests don't stand out like the tan photographer style vests. At least that's what I tell my unfashionable self.

Yeah, you got me there. I was narrowly thinking of photographer's vests; I have seen a fair amount of folks wearing fleece vests over the years. Hmmm, now you got me thinking about picking one up.

[Wheeler]

Who actually wears a vest in everyday life? Sure, I've seen a handful of people do so in the last fifteen years, but they are such an anomoly they stick out massively. As long as your piece is concealed, a t-shirt is fine by me, as it should be with the self-appointed busybodies at matches.

I shoot IDPA matches with boring regularity and the number of people I see with vests is very low. Usually it's a collared shirt over a t-shirt (my preference, as it's often how I carry on my off days), a jacket, or an untucked shirt/t-shirt.

Shooting IDPA has been a great learning experience for me. It showed me my weak areas (basically everything) when I first started, and I have improved a good amount. I still have along ways to go, like learning to balance accuracy against speed, but it's been an educational, enjoyable journey. BTW, I almost always shoot my Model 64 revolver as I do better with it than my Glock 19; I don't know why, perhaps it's a function of my age (just over three years from 60).

I suppose it depends on the experiences that influence your anecdotal observations.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Rain and Game!

Yesterday, I shot our local match. Decided to use a revolver for grins and use up some ammo. It was an outlaw SW 632 327 mag with a 3" barrel, SS, compensator and I put on a fiber optic front. Very cute gun. My anecdotal observations is that IF I wanted to carry a revolver as primary, I would have to practice with it a lot more. My first targets stink until my grip and trigger pull settle down. After that I shoot decently. The reloads are too slow if I were in some horrible intensive incident. Capacity counts in a horror show. As I've said and others like Greg Ellifritz - these guns are great one mugger, gas station intimidators. Go away mugger - bang. I much prefer a Glock - so that's my EDC if possible. That being said, it's still a hoot to shoot. I have the reloads down pretty well. But I shoot a semi much better.

What about vests and the rain? So at the last stage, the skies open up and we are in the deluge. The entire range turns to thick, clinging mud and we have five shooters left. We muddle through. However, we have one shooter and a guy who looks like a coach - wears gear with name, logos, pronouncements of ability. Never tape, despite the match director making a clear point of it. Just stand there and don't talk - too good for us. They take off when the rain starts, don't hang around to deal with the mud and takedown - which was a total soaking mud fest. A few slips into the goo (not when shooting).

Outrage was expressed to the match director - what a crappy show of sportsmanship.

Note - to self - you are smart as you brought extra boots to the match. I always do after a pair fell apart in class.

On the other hand, one of our guy is a national champ and 'vested' but is a team player and a hell of a nice guy. Age - at 68 - I shoot semis better.

It's like my car, I think - I drove stick through 3 cycles of cars. Swore by it. Then my knees started to hurt and shifting was a pain. Got an automatic and haven't looked back - if though nostalgia is attractive.

[scw2]

However, we have one shooter and a guy who looks like a coach - wears gear with name, logos, pronouncements of ability. Never tape, despite the match director making a clear point of it. Just stand there and don't talk - too good for us.

Outrage was expressed to the match director - what a crappy show of sportsmanship.

Next time y'all shoot, just have no one to tape the stage before his turn to shoot. Problem solved.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

That is a good idea!

The mud was awesome. When it pours like that you can get stuck on the range if you wait too long. Supposedly, one guy refused to leave once and got trapped on top of the cowboy action shooting shed for a day to escape the flood. He had to shoot a squirrel and eat it to live.

The truth of this tale - well, it is Texas? A lesson - don't drive a Miata to a TX range in the thunderstorms. When we were fleeing once, Mr. Miata just sunk up to the top of the wheel wells and had to be dragged out. Usual high water rescues today.

The match director said that at the Nationals last week, some guy (highly ranked) refused to tape even after being cautioned to and at the end of the match had annoyed so many that they gave him a FTDR on every stage.

[rob_s]

People on both sides of this nonsense really get wrapped with this vest bullshit.

[JustOneGun]

Walmart employees... Lol!



I'll never look at another Wal-Mart employee the same. I'll be dressing them down for their CCW. LOL!

"Hi I'm Gubber. Welcome to Wal-Mart. As a note I'm armed and tactical. So mind your P's and Q's. Have a nice day."

[Welder]

TBone550,

I believe you were in my LTT class last weekend.

Hey, sorry, I don't get on the interwebz often enough to keep up with everything so just got back to this thread. But I thought I should set the record straight that the LTT class I attended was in August '15. :)

[Glenn E. Meyer]

I wore my crappy vest that I got from Academic as a seconds for $20. It had a tear in the collar. After the match it went back into the trunk. Put a floppy shirt back on. I did wear a Cthulhu 2016 t-shirt under it. Cthulhu is my sponsor (yuk, yuk!). I like my Glock 17. I hit the 40 yard targets!